Structurally Deficient
by SomecallmeMichelle
Summary: When a bout of home-sickness threatens to sour the mood of one of Steven's best friends he just has to fix the problem. Be it talks, or compliments he will find a way to get to the bottom of it and make Peridot feel better. For Stevidot week 2018


"No! This just won't do! What do those earthlings think they are doing? Why do they -

"Peridot?", Steven tried to interrupt the wild sayings of his friend, repeated ad infinitum and going on for minutes at a time. Apparently they lacked something. It reminded him of some poem that Connie had once recited, for lack of a nail…

But they did have nails, it was even some of the things Peridot had moved with her mind - she had been training hard and her magnetism psychic beams of awesomeness were getting really practical. - Though if Steven were honest , as amazing as they were, sometimes when her attempts disconnected the television, they were annoying. At least she hadn't pushed the toilet out of place!

"No, Steven, do not interrupt me, can't you see that this former homeworld colony you call earth, despite all its development, still hasn't found a way to reliably provide communication? Why! I will say, back in Homeworld…

Steven blinked. What was Peridot talking about? In every point in Beach City he had a great amount of cellphone signal, and true when he went to the bottom of the ocean or the sahara desert that wasn't the case, but he was sure that it was only due to the data plan the Crystal Gems and his dad had picked for him. He was away from Beach City a lot, but even in space he could still use it - just not to call people.

So it was with two blinks of confusion that Steven carefully nodded. One, two, he didn't quite get it, but just because he didn't get it didn't mean it wasn't important to Peridot. If she looked tired and frazzled - as much as a projection of light could look frazzled - then something was clearly wrong. And while Steven hoped to help, and he hoped to do his best to ensure she had a good time, he couldn't do that by telling her her worries were dumb. Even, if, again, he didn't quite understand it.

"Well Homeworld is like the pinnacle of technology and other stuff", pinnacle, now there was another word he had learnt with Connie, he vouched for it, she was like a giant talking dictionary, and a pretty good friend to boot. "They are impressive, yes, but I really don't like the way they destroy planets."

It was through the answer of Peridot, a half-hearted, "I guess", that Steven saw the problem. Home-sickness. Who could blame her? Homeworld had been all she had known, Steven knew a little something of it. Why when he had been in space!

But this wasn't about him, or his feelings. This was about Peridot. And if Peridot was feeling down, there was really only one way to cheer her up. Steven was ready to proclaim the party to be starting, when he thought of that other thing. The one that had arguably changed her to his side.

"Well in Homeworld things are like really structured, aren't they? Like nobody had the freedom to be themselves, like Garnet, or Pearl, and I'm sure Amethyst wouldn't do well either! Heck, they totally want to destroy me"

Peridot seemed to want to intervene, whether to defend her primordial home, whether to nod in agreement. But the thing about Steven was that once he got really excited about a topic it took Garnet holding him tight, or more to catch his attention. Because he lived life so truly he wanted to finish his thought.

"Steven…"

"So. you know, here on earth, well my mother always said it was worth protecting, right? And I can't help but agree, I mean, just look at this!"", Steven spread a hand around, to the grass that grew up to his ankles, the insects buzzing, the birds singing. It was like a scene from a cartoon. It was beautiful, and it punctuated his point perfectly. Even the crops that Peridot and Lapis had planted seemed to evidence his point, gently swaying in the wind.

"Yes, yes, but Steven…"

Thought finished Steven had finally paused his talk, and opened his ears to any objections that Peridot might have had. So it was through a giant smile that he inquired what she wanted to say.

"Yes Peridot?", and Steven seemed to stretch that last syllable of Peridot's name, as if trying to call her attention, and also have a little bit of fun in the event. It was like he was singing her name.

"Though the infrastructural creation and realisation by these earthlings, is primitive at best, and they lack the know how or engineering ability for deep space travel, I must admit to really enjoying the time spent with you."

Steven blushed, he had sort of understood it was a backhanded compliment to Earth, that she was calling them dumb, in a way. And to a Gem that had been created and had existed amongst Homeworld tech that might very well be true. But he had also understood that she had just admitted to liking to spend time with him.

"And that's what's fun about earth! You can do, be, or say anything you want! You can spend time with me, or levitate metal to where you want, or just grow crops! You make your own future.", Steven looked out of breath, as he did whenever he sprouted the beauty of planet earth, it was just so much to take in, so much to absorb.

"Look I'm sure Homeworld had its good things -", Steven was like that, even a place he hated wasn't absent of positives, everything had its ups and downs, for him."

"Yes, truly", Peridot had that nasally tone, where Steven couldn't quite tell if she was being sarcastic or not, but either way he had a final weapon.

"It's fine to miss home - I missed it tons of times, and I'd be sad if I never saw you, or the other Crystal Gems again", there was a pause as they both blushed. It wasn't as if this was an uncommon feeling to Steven, but it was the first time Peridot had heard him say it out loud with her included in the group.

"But you know what earth has that homeworld doesn't?" Steven touched her shoulder and for some reason that made her feel so much better. At least until she realised that out of the curls he called hair he had pulled something.

"The key!"

"Where did you get tha - wait the key?", Peridot could very well guess where this was going, and if she were being honest with herself she was enjoying it. She just left herself be carried by it.

"Yeah! Life and death and love and birth"

"You never forget a tune, do you?"

Steven twiddled and fingered his ukelele.

"Nope, now sing it with me"

Shrugging, and feeling strangely better she did so. Steven had that gift, she could make her feel better without ever really having to try hard. And music was something she wouldn't quite get in homeworld, he was right.

Maybe...just maybe, things were alright.


End file.
